On May 18th and 19th. the House Insurance Committee held two days of interim hearings on health care laws adopted in 2021 including the pharmacy specific laws passed – SB (Senate Bill) 1264, HB (House Bill) 1919 and HB 1763. 

Also in Texas, the Board of Pharmacy has many resources available on their website to keep pharmacies connected with the Agency, including General Practice Resources and Coronavirus information. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Drug Utilization Review (DUR) Board recently approved a list of recommended drugs for the Medicaid preferred drug list which will be discussed and finalized at the DUR meeting on July 22, 2022. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

NACDS attended the Dallas County Medical Society’s 139^th Annual Dinner and Awards ceremony at the Frontiers of Flights Museum on April 6^th honoring chain pharmacies and pharmacists from Kroger Health and Albertsons/ Randall’s/Tom Thumb for their efforts at the beginning of the pandemic providing 20,000 COVID-19 vaccines administered to physicians who are not affiliated with a major health or hospital systems and their frontline office staff. Accepting the awards for chain pharmacies were Jeff Loesch, PharmD with The Kroger Company, and Jennifer Golden, PharmD with Albertsons Companies. This successful collaborative effort eventually led to multiple other opportunities throughout the pandemic for more chain pharmacies to work directly in Collin, Dallas, Denton Grayson, and Tarrant County Health Departments to administer COVID vaccines and tests.

People in the photos:
Dr. Philip Huang, Director, Health Authority, Dallas County Health, and Human Services Department
Jon Roth, CEO, Dallas County Medical Society
Jeff Loesch, PharmD, CHC
Jill Lester, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP
Jennifer Golden, RPh.
Emad Besslay, MPharm

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Board of Pharmacy (TSBP) issued a reminder notice on the proper destruction and disposal of prescription medications. For dangerous drugs destruction, a TSBP licensed pharmacist is authorized to destroy stock so that it is unfit for human consumption and disposed of in compliance with all applicable state and federal requirements. 

Also in Texas, TSBP's COVID website includes a chart comparing the authorizations in the PREP Act amendments with the Texas statutes and rules.  

Finally in Texas, the Health, and Human Services Commission's (HHSC) Vendor Drug Program (VDP) issued the biannual specialty drug list. Members should contact vdp-formulary@hhsc.state.tx.us with comments or any questions. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Health and Human Services Commission's (HHSC) Vendor Drug Program (VDP) published information on pharmacy coverage of COVID-19 test kits.  

Also in Texas, Beginning May 31st, HHSC will stop using the Texas Medicaid Standing Order for Mosquito Repellent. Pharmacies must obtain a prescription from a Medicaid-enrolled prescribing provider to dispense mosquito repellent beginning June 1, 2022, for Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Healthy Texas Women (HTW). HHSC has extended the effective date of the current standing order until May 31, 2022, to ensure providers have adequate notice regarding upcoming changes to the mosquito repellent benefit. Pharmacy staff may obtain a copy of the extended standing order by submitting a request via email to vdp-formulary@hhsc.state.tx.us.  

Pharmacies or pharmacists not operating under the standing order will require a prescription from a valid healthcare provider before dispensing mosquito repellent to people enrolled in Medicaid. Pharmacies may use the standing order if a new prescription or a refill is required until May 31, 2022. Afterward, the terms of the standing order will no longer be valid. For refill requests, pharmacies should not contact or fax Dr. Van Ramshorst, the physician signing the standing order. Refer to the mosquito repellent section of the Pharmacy Provider Procedure Manual for more information about the benefit. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Health and Human Services Commission's (HHSC) Vendor Drug Program (VDP) is accepting comments until March 10th on the March 2022 draft Specialty Drug List. Stakeholders should send submissions on the Specialty Drug Submission Spreadsheet. 

 Also in Texas, the HHSC adopted a final rule establishing a process for Medicaid Managed Care organizations (MCOs) to recoup certain overpayments made to health care providers in connection with missing electronic visit verification information. The rule also requires MCOs to give providers at least 60 days to correct a deficiency.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Retailers Association (TRA) selected John McCord as their new Executive Director. McCord joins TRA after leading legislative efforts for the National Federation of Independent Business in Texas. 

Also in Texas, the Vendor Drug Program (VDP) Medicaid provided an update to the Clinical Prior Authorization Assistance Chart. The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) requires MCOs to implement specific clinical prior authorizations for clients enrolled in managed care. Usage of other clinical prior authorizations will vary between MCOs at the discretion of each MCO. HHSC publishes a criteria guide for each prior authorization with a description of the steps in the evaluation process. All steps apply to traditional Medicaid claims processed by HHSC. The assistance chart identifies which clinical prior authorization each MCO uses and whether the MCO uses all or some of the steps in the evaluation process. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

The Board of Pharmacy updated the quick reference guide for prescriptions for dangerous drugs (non-controlled) and controlled substances (Schedules II – V) that may be dispensed.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.